Ron Miller

2011 will be remembered as the year that put exoplanets on everybody's starmaps. Though we'd discovered planets beyond our solar system before, this year astronomers offered more evidence than ever that our universe is packed with exoplanets - some of which might be very like our own rocky, waterlogged world. Here are ten images I created of the year's most incredible exoplanet discoveries.

Admittedly this is a very subjective list. What I think is an extraordinary exoplanet is one that would provide an extraordinary sight to a future visitor. And, of course, what might look totally cool and what is most interesting scientifically may be two different things. Happily, the two criteria are far from being mutually exclusive.